Claire Reika Wright

Overview of past work

A retrospective selection

Paintings from past series by Claire Reika Wright dating from 1997 to 2017.

'Saturday' The Vividz 1st Series (Sold)

'So' The Vividz 1st Series (sold)

'What!' The Vividz 1st Series

'Dilemmas' Strange Adventure Series (sold)

'Really?' Strange Adventure Series

'Mystery, Magic, Miracle Tryptch' Strange Adventure Series (sold)

'I'll put a girdle round the earth' Shakespeare Prints

'It was the nightingale' Shakespeare Prints

'Chameleon' Tramp Series

'Confusion' Tramp Series (sold)

Lover's Lane XI (sold)

Lover's Lane I (sold)

'Little Wing' - Its Only Rock'n'Roll Series (sold)

'Lucy in the Sky' - Its Only Rock'n'Roll Series

'Cowgirl in the Sand' - Its Only Rock'n'Roll Series

'Crazy Diamond' - Its Only Rock'n'Roll Series (sold)

'When the Time is Right' - The River of Memories Series

'Remembering' - The River of Memories Series (sold)

'Would you have me Honest?'- As You Like It Series (sold)

I would sing my song without a burthen.jpg

'I would sing my song without a burthen'- As You Like It Series

'Winter Bright'- Trees 2015

'Solstice' - Trees 2015

'Storm' - Trees 2015 (sold)

'Pan's Wood' - Trees 2015

'Flight of Fancy' - Trees 2017 (sold)

'The Hard Road' - Abstracts 2013 -2017 (sold)

'Wear the Crown' - Abstracts 2013 -2017

'The Physics of Romance' book cover design

This very varied selection of paintings gives a representational overview of the one thousand and more paintings I have completed in the past 20 years or so. I generally paint series of works based on themes which I have outlined below. Most of the work has been sold but some pieces are still in my collection in Bridport or elsewhere. Photos of some of the early works are not of the best quality by todays standards.

The Vividz (Series 1 & 2) 1997- 2003

This series consisted of some 150 paintings in acrylic or pastel which I completed in Australia, Bali and England. The Vividz are enigmatic figures, usually red and black, inspired by 40,000 years old Aboriginal cave paintings found in the NW of Western Australia. The work is semi-autobiographical. Two solo exhibitions in Australia and two in England were very successful and I often return to the theme.

Strange Adventure 2004

Following on from The Vividz the figures in this set became more true to life. They were exhibited in Oxford and Munich with some sales, some were destroyed by a leaking roof in Banbury and a few are still in my collection. The very large 'Magic' triptych was originally part of the 1st Vividz series and was first painted in Australia. I altered it drastically it in 2004 and again in 2007! It was purchased eventually in 2017.

Shakespeare prints 2003 - 2004

Limited edition illustrations of scenes from some of Shakespeare's plays. These were originally made for The Royal Shakespeare Company's theatre shop in Stratford - upon - Avon. There were 16 illustrations in all.

Tramp 2007

A series of self portraits commissioned by a Munich art gallery. I made a short ten minute film based on photographs of the paintings, which was shown as part of an art festival in Bethnal Green, London in 2008.

Lover's Lane 2009

Another series painted for exhibition in Munich. Remembered images of long ago romances painted with a mixture of paint, ink, pastel and goodness knows what else.

It's Only Rock'n'Roll 2005 - 2014

With its origins in the many long enjoyable hours I used to spend recording bands this large body of work illustrating the rock songs of the 60s and 70s has been hugely popular. I hope to start a new series at some point in the future.

The River of Memories 2012- 2014

Having produced an interactive app inspired by the legend of the river Lethe, the river of forgetfulness, I then used the app to spawn around ten large paintings on canvas. The work was initially exhibited at the summer art festival held at Treberfyd House in Wales and subsequently in other parts of the country. Seven of the paintings were purchased by a legal firm in the City of London.

As You Like It 2016

Conceived over a long lunch in Stratford-upon-Avon with my dear friend and mentor, the late Beryl Downing, my 'take' on Shakespeare's 'As You Like It' resulted in a very successful exhibition which consisted of a mammoth interactive moving image app shown on a 60" TV and some twenty paintings, digital and mixed media.

Celestial Trees 2015-2017

A series still very much alive and kicking. I have been drawing and painting trees and accompanying celestial objects since the mid sixties! Comes from growing up in the middle of a 100 acre wood and watching the moon come up behind darkened tree branches through my bedroom window.

Abstracts 2013- 2017

I am, at heart, primarily an abstract painter liking nothing more than to have a large studio where I can make a mess and splash paint and any other substance I think might work on to large canvases. The days of my having such a studio are now gone and most of my abstract works are now painted, still by hand, but digitally, using software such as Corel Painter and a Wacom tablet or on an iPad Pro with Procreate. The work is then printed using archival inks on paper/glass/aluminium or Dibond sometimes with finishing touches made with ink, acrylic paint or pastel. These are strictly one off original mono-prints.

Book Illustration 2005-2017

I 'retired' from undertaking book illustration and design in 2014 but was persuaded to illustrate the covers of the triology 'The Thermodynamics of Love' by the author Patrissia Cuberos in 2016.

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